Here's a local and state news update from Florida Today and WFIT. I'm Evan Niemczyk.
A federal report details the living conditions of the now-closed detention center known as Alligator Alcatraz.
Some detainees were held in 18-square-foot metal cages called calming areas.
Investigators also found that medical care, food service, hygiene and recreation did not meet national detention standards.
State senator Shevrin Jones spoke on The Florida Roundup. He toured the facility last year.
"We raised alarms about the conditions, and we were called liars."
Governor Ron DeSantis denies there was inhumane treatment at the facility.
Jones says he wants to see accountability.
"Just because the facility is now closed doesn't mean that we sweep this issue under the rug."
The center cost about a billion dollars before it was shut down in June.
The office of lieutenant governor may be one of the least consequential statewide offices. Still, as WUSF's Steve Newborn reports Bryan Avila, who's running alongside Republican Byron Donalds, made his case for the job Friday before the Tampa Tiger Bay Club.
Avila was mostly evasive answering questions from Tiger Bay members, including one on how the Donalds campaign would differ from any of President Trump's policies. But he did plug the property tax reduction amendment on November's ballot.
Avila, after all, was a sponsor in the legislature.
"At the end of the day, every single dollar that government spends it first came from someone's paycheck. With Amendment 3, I will tell you I think that the people and each resident and each family knows how to spend their money better than local government does."
Amendment Three would raise the non-school homestead exemption to $250 thousand dollars over time. Many local governments say that would limit basic services.
Florida required all license plate-reading cameras on state roads to be removed..
Responses from law enforcement agencies have varied.
Franklin County Sheriff A.J. Tony Smith spoke on The Florida Roundup about issues he's had with the the vendor, Flock Cameras.
"Those cameras can still record because Flock is the only one that can turn them off."
Smith says he unplugged the cameras and covered them with plastic bags to make sure they aren't capturing any footage.
He says Flock is responsible for removing the cameras. But the county's contract hasn't ended yet.
"If they belong to me, I'd already have them in the trash pile."
Smith says he believes the cameras can be a useful tool, but doesn't want to sacrifice people's privacy.
Miami-Dade County’s marathon budget hearing Thursday night was a rollercoaster of tense discussions and high tensions. And one last-minute cash infusion raised more than a few eyebrows.
County Commission Chair Anthony Rodriguez shifted extra taxpayer dollars to a well-funded tourism agency during a cycle when parks and transit budgets are getting thinner.
"$5 million will be allocated to the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau to reinvest in our community and attract major events, support local businesses, and generate economic impact throughout Miami-Dade County."
Some fellow commissioners criticized the move because the tourism agency recently gifted Rodriguez’s political committee 11 skybox seats at Hard Rock Stadium for the FIFA World Cup.
Despite the backlash, the commission still voted to give the bureau the $5 million dollars in an 8 to 4 split vote.
For these stories and more, visit FloridaToday.com and WFIT.org. I'm Evan Niemczyk